To Save A Child's Heart: Celebrity Chef Event for Kawasaki Disease Foundation

I'm a sucker for events that help children. Kawasaki Disease may not be something you're familiar with since it's a rare illness, but it's the leading cause of acquired heart disease among children, with 80 percent of patients being under the age of five. For my friend Beth Avant, it struck her family when her son Lucas was just nine months old. Lucas is fine, but Beth has become an advocate for research to fight the disease and find a cure. And that's what the upcoming Kawasaki Disease Foundation's "To Save a Child's Heart Gala," which takes place on Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. at the La Costa Resort and Spa, will be raising funds for.

Chef Nate Appleman

Chef Nate Appleman of Chipotle, a KD parent and winner of the James Beard Award for Rising Chef, is the gala's "honorary chef." Our own Sam "the cooking guy" Zien will be the Master of Ceremonies. His job will be made a little complicated -- in a very good way -- by the unique structure of the event. Instead of each chef cooking one dish for everyone, each chef will cook an entire meal for a single table, which Sam will be checking in on with commentary and interviews.

The feasting will be a food-lover's dream. Take a look at this line up of local and nationally renown chefs:

Scott Thomas Dolbee of Kitchen 1540 in Del Mar
Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook of Animal in Los Angeles
Neal Fraser of BLD in Los Angeles
Amanda Freitag of New York
Chris Gerwig of Village Idiot in Los Angeles
Matt Gordon of Solace & the Moonlight Lounge and Urban Solace in San Diego

Matt Gordon

David Hernandez of Rubicon Resources in Los Angeles
Gavin Kaysen of Cafe Boulud in New York
Mourad Lahlou of Aziza in San Francisco
Ludo Lefebvre of Ludo Bites in Los Angeles
Joe Magnanelli of Cucina Urbana in San Diego
Naomi Pomeroy of Beast in Portland, Oregon

Naomi Pomeroy

Jonathan Sawyer of The Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland

Jonathan Sawyer

Michael Solomonov of Zahav in Philadelphia
Chad White of Counterpoint in San Diego
Tandy Wilson of City House in Nashville
Tony Quartaro of The Bristol in Chicago

Each of these chefs will prepare a stunning five-course meal. The proceeds will benefit the KD Research Center at UC San Diego and Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego. Tickets start a $300 a person and can be purchased online.

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